Poly



United States Patent POLY (POLYALKYLENE ETHER URE'I HANES) Albert S. Carter, New Castle, Del.,assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemonrs and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 30, 1953 Serial No. 365,283 I 6 Claims. Cl. zen-77.5

This invention relates to an improved process for the manufacture of elastomers in which a polytetramethylene ether glycol is condensed with 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate and with water or other chain extending agent. The invention relates more particularly to carrying out the reaction in an inert organic solvent in which the resultant elastomer is insoluble.

In the manufacture of elastomers of this type, the reaction between the polytetramethylene ether glycol, the 2,4+ tolylene diisocyanate and the water yields a reaction mass which is very diflicult to handle, for as the reaction progresses the mass becomes very tough and rubbery. Because of the consistency of the reaction mass, heavy duty mixing equipment is required and difliculty is experienced in controlling the temperature of the reaction. While in the production of other types of elastomers solvent polymerization is often employed, such solvent processes also present difiiculties in large scale operation, such as recovery of the solvent and separation of the solvent from the.

polymer while leaving the polymer in satisfactory physical form for subsequent working, which usually requires.

special types of stills or evaporating apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and economical process for carrying out the condensation of polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2,4

tolylene diisocyanate, and the further extensionof the condensation polymer with water or other extending agent by a process which does not require heavy mixing equipment. It is a further object of the invention to provide a process wherein the final extension of the product is carried out in an inert organic solvent in which the resultant elastomer is relatively insoluble.

I have found that, where the polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate are reacted in an organic solvent, preferably a hydrocarbon solvent of from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, a syrupy dispersed prepolymer forms which on further reaction with water or other chain extending agent produces an elastomer which settles out of the dispersion in a form readily recoverable by decantation or filtration and from which the residual solvent can readily be removed. While the polytetramethylene ether glycol is not soluble in the hydrocarbon solvent at room temperature, it goes into solution on warming and by further heating the solution the small amount of water present in the ether glycol can be azeotropically distilled ofi, leaving an anhydrous solution. To this anhydrous solution the required amount of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate is then added under agitation, giving the reaction product which we refer to as the prepolymer. Upon the addition of water or other chain extender to this. solution under good agitation, a solid polymer begins to separate usually in the form of small beads. polymer has been completed, these beads may be filtered off from the solvent and the solvent adhering to the beads may be removed by heating either on a rubber mill or in a Banbury mixer, etc. The solvent may be reused in i this process without further purification. Alternatively,

the polytetramethylene ether glycol, the 2,4-tolylene diiso- When the formation of the water or other extender a readily workable mass is ob- 2,830,03? Patented Apr. 8, 1953 ice solvent since this prepolymer is usually a viscous liquid.

The inert organic solvent may be added after the formation of the prepolymer so that during the addition of tained. The use of the inert organic solvent at the start of the reaction, however, provides an easy method for dehydrating the polytetramethylene ether glycol prior to condensation and simplifies carrying out the reaction.

The aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents particularlyuseful in this process are those which are liquid at room temperature but which preferably do not boil below 100 C. since the reaction isfrequently carried out at temperatures of up to 95 C. or above. If the reaction is carried out in closed equipment under pressure, quite obviously lower boiling hydrocarbon solvents may be used. Any inert solvent having physical properties as above set forth may be used in this process provided the reaction products have sufiicient solubility therein and in which the final elastomer is insoluble. Particularly suitable are n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-dodecane, as well as isomers and mixtures of these hydrocarbons which may be obtained from naturally obtained petroleum sources'such .as kerosene, or from synthetically prepared hydrocarbons. Cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons which can be evaporated have a molecularweight of at least 750 to assure the formation of elastomeric polymers. In general, polymers having a molecular weight of between 2000 and 4000 will be employed.

The preparation of elastomers from polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate wherein the reaction is carried out in the massive form, is more particularly'described in copending application of Frederick B. Hill, In, Serial No. 365,270, filed of even date herewith.

After the formation of the prepolymer whichis the reaction product of the polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, water is added to efiect what is generally considered to be an extension of the polymer chain to give a product which is a curable elastomer.

The molar ratio of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate to the polytetramethylene ether glycol should be within the range of 1.2:1 to 12:1 and preferably from 1.2:1 to about 5:1. It larger amounts of the diisocyanate are used, the products tend to be more plastic or resinous. If lesser amounts are used, the proportion of urethane groups formed by the reaction of the NCO groups with -OH to urea groups formed by the reaction of NCO groups with the water added is too large. This causes difiiculties in subsequent curing with diisocyanate compounds. While the mechanism of the curing is not known for certain, it appears that the cross-linking reaction through which the linear chains are united to form the elastomer takes place much more readily on urea nitrogens than on urethane nitrogens.

'The amount of water added to act primarily as a chain extender in this process is somewhat greater than that ordinarily used in the non-solvent or massive processes. An advantage of this process is that it is not as sensitive to the amount of water used. In the present process from about l ,to about 4' mols of water per mol of diisocyanate are employed. This is considerably in excess of the quantity demanded by theory which is one-half'mol" of water per mol of diisocyanate which has one -NCO group'reacted with an, --OH group of the ol alkylene. ether glycoL. Any free diisocyanate of conrserequir'es one mol of. water .per molof diisocyanate.

Thetime of reaction varieswith the temperature. At, room temperature reaction times of .up toabout 72 hours may be required. for the completion .of'the reaction of the diisocyanatewith the polytetramethylene ether glycol .10 whereas at temperatures of 100"to. 120C. only about 1 hour isrequired The..time'required,for the formation; of the elastomer by the reaction of the'prepolymer-with, water requires about 40 hours at room. temperature, while; ataboutQQOf to. 100 C. .onlyabout' .lfto. 2 hours..is';,.15 required: In all, cases .th'efreaction. with water .-s ulds e:. stoppedwhile theproductisstill' millable.

Bythe useof a solvent. in .carryingout thereactioma'e. more uniform polymer is .obtained. than where. the. .final plastic.-.rubberymass i'smixed iniheavy ,duty milling apparatus. Much} better temperature. control of the mac-.2 tion is. possible sincethe treaction is bei11g.carried.out in areadily agitated. liquid. system. The .ease of isolation of the resultingelastomer. is readily. apparent. since .it. requires only a vsimplefiltration. The resulting. prod-j ucts appear to: bemore stable to storagethan. the corre-. spondingelastomer. :produced. in. the absence. of a. .solvent although. it is necessary; to. stabilize. these ;materials.. by theadditionuof'a stabilizerif they .are to be stored toran extended period..of.time.. The. elastomer,. however, is; sufiiciently stable so thatfurther processing of the .polymercan be.carried.out in normal operations without pre-. curing. This-process. requiresless expensive equipment than WhCIC-iLjSz-Cll'flfid Out-ill-11163136306 of a.solvent,. and-obviously appreciably less-power is required. 3

The. following examples are .given to illustrate the invention. The parts used are..by .weig'ht..v

Example 1 (A) Into a. glassili'ned .reaction. vesselequipped; 40 a stirrer, thermometer and a.,'water trap. were. placed. 210. parts of normal octaneand "parts ,of a polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 3890. This... mixture .was .heated. andawhen .the glycol wasmelted .Ithe agitationwas started The solution. was gradually heated. 45 to. 127 C. .where :the: water. which. was, present in. the polyether. glycol. asianmimpurity, was azeotropic'ally dis tilledout... A total .'o' ,'32 parts of the azeotropic, mixtures; was thus removed. The temperature of the solutionpf; the..polyethe r.- glycol .imoctanewas then adjustedto 115 C. and. 6.6. parts of. 2;4 tolylene. .diisocyanate. were. added to. theflask... T he. reactionuriXture was.,stirred for 1%; hours .while ..-the temperature. gradually ,dropped to; about. 95 C; At this jtimethereiwasan insoluble phztseinthe N-octane.solution.l., Then..there. wasv added. 1 part;of water and the temperature was maintained. at "v to C. while stirring was continued lforVz hour. At the end of this time an additional..0'.5-part .of .water. was added; and the mixturewas stir red .fo'r .7 hours. at from 90? to 95 C. During .thistimean. accumulationiof smallplastic... soli'd 'b'eads tormedtin the solvents. The .rnateria1jwas.re-, moved from the flask. and filtered... The polymer. beads were transferred to a rubbermill' 'a'nd .were milled: 01156 hour at 135 C." A smoothgband which was..free..of,i both solvent and water was .thus formed.

The polymer was cured by puttinglOO partsof the product on a rubber mill andforrning asheet,.intc ..which:vv is milled at 70"to 809C; for.,10to .15,minutes.-.8.,.partsa of dimer of 2,4-tolylene dii'socyanate. This 'materialflwasa then pressed in a moldand curedforl l1 J 1I..at.. 132Z C. 70 The tensile strength of jth'e resulting. polymer.was;.5800 1 pounds per squareinch; The elongation at thebreakwas, 550% and tl1e.300% modulus was 1000-.pounds.persquarea inch; The ratio of;polyether. glycolto diisocyanate'zto water molar ratio in this. example. was. .1 :2.95 :65; r

(B) This process was repeated with the addition to the V the n-octaneiat. elevated temperatures but zthediisocyanate reactionproduct is insoluble both hot and cold. The productirobtained-was, to all'appearances, identical with that obtained in. I-A'.

Example 2 The process of this.examplewaswarried out in the equipment and inthe same manner as .that used in Example l. 140 parts of normal octane were used as the solvent, to which 50 parts of polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 3890 was then added,

'a'zeotropically distilled to eliminate the water present and filteredirom. the normal octane solution and dried on a rubber mill at about to. C. 100 parts of this dry'material were, thenbande'd on a rubber mill and 6 parts: of 'di'mer of2',4-tolylene diisocyanate were milled into-the mixture at 100 C. A portion was then cured inarpress for 45 minutes at 130CL' A smooth resilient 5 slahwas obtainedv which tests showed hadla tensile strength'at the break of 6000 pounds per square inch, elongation atth'e break of 550%; and. modulus at.300% elongation of '900pounds' persquare inch.

Example '3 This example' was carried outas in Example2 except that the-formation of the prepolymer, that is the reaction of 'th'e polytetramethylene ether glycol and diisocyanate, wasallowed' to'take place over a long time and at roomtemperature while the reaction withwater was carried'outat an elevated temperature for, a relatively short time. parts iofnormal octane were. used in which SOKparts of polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular'weight 3890*were azeotropicallydried as in. 0 Example 1. Then 6,6.'p arts.of"2; 4 tolylene diisocyanate were added-*and stirredat room temperature for 72 hours. A thin fiuid mass resulted. The mixturewas, thenheated .1 to-95.C.and;"l;5'parts of 'watenwere addedand stirring continuedjto'r 1"hour'and'40 minutes at this temperature. Tl'ttFlnSOiUblQ beads were then filtered off of thenormal octane; Some time later they were dried on a rubber mill at'about'130" to.135'C. 100'parts of this-dried mate rial :were'then banded. on a, rubber mill'and v6 partsot the dimer'of"2;4-tolylene diisocyanate wereblended in,at.. 100 C; over 10 to 15 minutes. A portion was then cured for 45"minutesat 132'? C, Therubber-likematerial which resultedffrom this curing showed.atensilestrength at the break of. 3100 pounds per square. inch, elongation atithe break of 400%, and modulus at 300% elongation bflOOO' pounds per square inch.

Example! Thisexample was carriedeoutias inExample 2; except:

that both vthe .formation .of :the. prepolymer and the extension-with .watenwere. carried. out at; room temperature.

140parts-ofnorrnalzoctane were used as the solvent and to. thifliwfllexaddfld 50 parts of- 'polytetriarnethylene ether were added and the mixture stirred for 72 hours. At the end of thistime 1.5 parts of water were added and the.

Example 5 Into a glass lined reaction vessel of Example 1 were placed 370 parts of a mixture of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbonsboiling in the range of 101 to 145 C. To this mixture were added 50 parts of a polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 2800. This glycol was dried azeotropically as in Example '1. The mixture was co'oled'to 115 C. and then 8.7 parts of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate wereadded and the mixture was stirred and heated at 115 C. for 1 hour. The prepolymer separates as a liquid insoluble phase which is readily stirred. into a thin fluid mass. The mass was allowed to cool to room temperature while stirring, and then there were added 2 parts of water. The total time of stirring at room temperature was 16 hours. (The molar ratio of polytetramethylene ether glycol to diisocyanate to water in this example is 122.95265.) The insoluble grains of polymer were filtered oif of the solvent and dried on a rubber mill at about 130 C. To 100' parts of the polymer so dried were added 10 parts of the dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate which were blended in on a rubber mill at 80 C. for 10 to minutes and then a portion was cured for 60 minutes at 132 C. The rubbery material obtained from thiscuring showed a tensile strength at;the break of .3600 pounds per square inch,.elongation atthe break of 400%, and modulus at 300% elongation of 2000 pounds per square inch.

Example 6 340 parts of normal heptane were placed in the reactor of Example 1 and 50 parts of-polytetramethyleneether glycol of average molecular weight 2800 were added. After azeotropically drying this material, there were added 7.2 parts of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate at 95 C. and the mixture was stirred at this temperature for 1 hour. The mass was allowed to cool andthere were then added 1.26 parts of water. The mixture was stirred for 19 hours at room temperature. (The molar ratio of polytetramethylene ether glycol to diisocyanate to water in this example is 1:23:39.) After the stirring at room temperature had been completed, the insoluble granules were separated from the normal heptane and the residual normal heptane was removed on a hot rubber mill. 100 parts of this material were homogenized on a rubber mill at 70 C. with 10 parts of the' dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate and then cured as in Example 1. The rubbery material thus obtained showed a tensile strength at the break of 4800 pounds per square inch, elongation at the break of 500%, and modulus at 300% elongation of 1300 pounds per square inch.

Example '7 To 340 parts of normal heptane were added 50 parts of a polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 2800 and the water in the system was azeotropically removed. There were then added 15.66 parts of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate at 95 C. and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour, at the end of which time the insoluble prepolymer had separated and formed a thin readily stirrable mass. The mass was then allowed to cool and 4 parts of water were added. Stirring at room temperature was then continued for 19 hours. (The molar ratio of polytetramethylene ether glycol to diisocyanate to water in this example is 1:5 :12.) The insoluble gran- 'ules were then removed from the normal heptane and position had been collected.

dried on the rubber mill as in Example 6. 100 parts of this were then homogenized with 5 parts of the dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate at 70 C. and cured as in Example 1. The properties of the rubbery material thus obtained were as follows: Tensile strength at the break 5100 pounds per square inch; elongation at the break 500%; and modulus at 300% elongation 1700 pounds per square inch.

' Example 8 To 350 parts of normal octane were added 50 parts of a polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 3980. The water present in the system was then azeotropically distilled until 35 parts of azeotropic como It was then allowed to cool to room temperature. At this temperature 0.25 part of water and 5.0 partsof 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate were added andthe mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. The mixture was then heated slowly and uniformly over the next 45 minutes to 60 C., then I to 70 C. over a period of 10 minutes, then held at 70 C. for 50 minutes. The temperature was then gradually anduniformly raised over the next 40 minutes to 100 C. and then the heating was continued slowly sothat 130 minutes later it was 120 C. The temperature was maintained at 120 C. for 39 hours, then the heating discontinued and the product allowed to cool. The solvent was decanted and the product milled for 30 minutes at 100 C. to remove occluded solvent. In this condition it wasa smooth, banded, rubbery-looking material.

It was then compounded with 10 parts of the dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate per 100 parts of the product at 60 to 70 C. A sample was then cured for 1 hour at 132 C. under pressure. The rubbery homogeneous slab which resulted from this molding showed the following properties: Tensile strength at the break 4000 pounds per square inch; elongation at the break 500%; and modulus at 300% elongation900 pounds per square inch.

Example 9 50 parts of polytetramethylene ether glycol of average molecular weight 2800 is stirred with 15.66 parts of 2,4- tolylene diisocyanate at C. for one hour. To the syrupy prepolymer thus formed is added 340 parts of n-heptan'e. The thin, readily stirrable mass is cooled to room temperature under continued agitation and 4 parts of water are added. Agitation is continued for 19 hours at room temperature (the molar ratio of polytetramethylene ether glycol to diisocyanate to water in this example. is 1:5: 12). The insoluble granules which'separate from the n-heptane are removed and dried by milling on a hot rubber mill at about 130 C. parts of this prodnet are then homogenized with 5 parts of the dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate on the mill and cured as in Example 1. .A smooth, rubbery polymer of good tensile strength is obtained.

Example 10 Into a reaction flask were placed 420 parts of normal octane. vThe solvent was heated..to.70 C. and then 100 parts of polytetramethylene oxide glycol'with average molecular weight 1200 were added. The heating was continued until the boiling temperature of 127 C. was reached. At this temperature an azeotropic mixture of water and normal octane distilled over. '56 parts of distillate were collected before all of the water appeared to have been distilled out. The mixture was then cooled to ,C. and'a reflux condenser was substituted for the azeotropecondenser. The solution'was thenagain heated to reflux'and'1-7.4 parts of 2,4-t'olylene diisocyanate were added. The solution was agitated for 1% hours at to 127 C. .Heatin'g of the flask was then discontinued temporarily "and 6.5 parts of water were added .to the reaction flask. Heating was then resumed and the summer a arate. flihe; mass-twasu'then cooled;to.-='50 andanthe granules'of the polymer? werefilter'ed off. The mass was worked'on a rubber mill for about 10v minutestat 70 C. to remove the residual amountsof normal octane. 100 parts of 'thispo'lymer werexthen compounded with parts of the dimer of 2,4-tolylenediisocyanateon a rubber mill at 60.? to 70 C. and cured :in .a press=under pressure at 132 C. for about 1 hour. The elastic; slab obtained from the press had the; following properties: Tensile strength at the break 2700 pounds per square inch; elongation at the break 500%; and modulus at 300% elongation 400 pounds per, squareinch. The mol ratio of polytetramethylene ether glycoltodiisocyanate to water inthis example'is l:l.2:4.3.

xi i-marble; J1

Into a rats fitted 'w'ithzan' agitator, thermometer" and an azeotro'pic. distillation trap were 'pla'ced 420'parts of normal octane which werefheated to 70 C. andthen' 100 parts of polytetrameth'ylene ether "glycol of averageimolecular weight 3700 were added. Heating was continued with agitation until a boiling temperature '0'ff'127 C. was reached. At" this temperature 56 parts ofjdistillate were collected in'the azeotrope trap and the solution appeared to be .free of "water. Thelfla'sk temperature was'then decreased to 115" C. and 13.2 parts of 2,4- tolylene diisocyanate were added. The temperature was maintained at 115 C. while agitation was continuedl'for 1 hours. 'The temperaturewas then reduced to, 105? C. and 3 partsof water, were. added andagitationcontinned at this temperature foran additional hour; then 1.3 parts of piperidine were (added and fthe ,reaction permitted to continuef rBOjminutes. The reaction mixture was cooled toroom temperature .and .the produce was removed byfiltration. Theaddition. of .thelpi peridine stabilized the product- ;so I that .premature curing. would not takeplace. The. product was .then. dried on. a. rubber mill for 30 minutes at 70 C. to remove any adherent or dissolved normal octane. six 'weeks later the product was still curable and had notprecured.

100 parts of..the polymer were compounded -with. parts of the .dimer of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanatet'andcured at 132, C. for about 1. hour 'in a'mold. -The rubbery polymer obtained had :the following properties: Tensile strengthatthebreak 4300 pounds :per square inch; elongation rat :the 'break 500%;rand; :modulus E at 300% -'elon.- gation 1300 pounds perz square inch. The ratio. of-polytetrarnethylene ether; glycol to: diisocyanateqto water in this example is 1:2.8 :,6;2. 7

Where ..,the polymers .rproducedrzaccording T103 this rinvention containffree': isocyanate; groups ';they zwillrtend' to cure by therreaction 1 of these ifnee "NCO-zgr0tupsnm'th reactive *hydrogens, such iaS OIL 'NHCONH-.:,: present in the polymer. .Inordervto store the polymer: fortany length of time it is necessary to adda stabilizer asuchtas a basic nitrogen compound having only one nitrogen to which there is attached one replaceable hydrogen atom such as ammonia and saltszsuch as ammonium: carbonate hydrate which decompose 'under reaction conditions to yield ammonia; alkyl amines; either saturat'ednor unsaturated, suchas' mono or diethylamine,-ni-butylamine, di-nbutylamine," diisobutylamine, and allyla'miney-aryl amines, such asaniline; aralkyl amines, fsuchas benzylamine;

mixed alkyl-aryl seconda'ry'amines such as N-methylaniline; alicyclic amines, such as cy'clohexylamine anddicyclohexylamine; heterocyclic nitrogen bases, such as piper- -idine, morpholine and ethyleneimine, as moreparticularly described in co-pending 1 application of Nelson and Verbanc, Serial No. 305,912, fil'edAugust 22, '-l-9 52, now abandoned;

Acid-reacting compounds'such' as organic-acid halides and"inorganic"acids, "as "more particularly described in 'copending, applicationfSeri'al No.. 288,531, filed'iMay 17, 1952;" to Langerak, .Prucino. and IRemington, now

fabrics; auwide variety of molded articles, etc. These productsiaarmcharacterized, by .the advantageous properties of/the elastomers; of this invention such'asresistance toithe .harmfulefiects of cold,- heat, direct:-sunlight,' oxygenrand; ozone, zoil. and other hydrocarbon-solvents, water,:-:mechanical :abrasion, flexing; stretching and the.

like.

'.'Thebasicelastomericproperties of the elastomers may be varied by :suitable compounding. The amount and type ofrcompoundingzagent incorporated in the stock is dependent upon the..:use for which 'theelastomer is intended. "Included among :some of the :more important useful compoundinglagents' arecarbon black, clay, silica, talc, zinc; and magnesium oxides; calcium and magnesium carbonate; titanium dioxide and plasticizers. Inorganic and organic coloring :agents may. 'be incorporated :to give well: defined colors since the natural color .of the clastomer -is'%a apalexyellowzor light amber.

; The; compounding .agents maybe mixed-or incorporated withlithe lproduct "at the ztime .of: the incorporation of the vulcanizingrdiisocyanate. Conventional rubber processing machinery-such as millsor Werner-Pfleiderer or Banburyzamixers' may be used. The resulting compounded stocksvmay be: shaped and cured in conventional rubber industry equipment. Additionally, the stocksmay be dis solved in or extended with appropriate solvents for applieationto'surfaces and then cured thereon after evaporation'of' the solvent.

The generahmethodsmf use-"or application of the polymers of this invention are the same'as those where the productis madein massive form, as more particularly"disclosed inthe Frederick B. Hill, In, application above-mentioned.

1. Inthe processofpreparing elastomers by reacting a polytetramethylene""ether; glycol having axmolecular weightdffrom- 750 to '4000 with a molar excess of 2,4-

,tolylenediisocyanate and reacting the resulting isocya-.

nate-terminatedproductwith water, the step which comprises "carying "out said-reactions in an inert aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent-in which the resulting elastomer is insoluble-said solvent having from'6 to 12 carbon atoms. 12; "Inthe process of preparing 'elastomers from polytetramethylenecther glycol having a molecular weight of :from7-50 to 4000 and a molar excess of 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, the; steps which compriseiadding the polytetramethylene ether glycol to an inert aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent having trom 610L 12 carbon atoms, heatingto. eliminateany water thatrnay be present, adding the"2,4-tolylene.i diisocyanate. to form ,an isocyanate-terminated. intermediate. polymer with .the polytetramethylene ether glycol, .then adding water to convert the intermediate polymer into an elastomericmaterial, said solvent being one in which theresulting elastomeric material is insoluble.

' i3.ln'fthe.;process.j of preparing elastomers by reacting polymer to. an'elastomeric material by reaction with water, the step which comprises carrying out the reaction of the intermediate polymer and the Water in an inert aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in which the resulting elastomer is insoluble, said solvent having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.

4. In the process of preparing elastomers by reacting a polytetramethylene ether glycol having a molecular weight of from 750 to 4000 with a molar excess of 2,4- tolylene diisocyanate to form an isocyanate-terminated intermediate polymer and converting the said polymer to an elastomeric material by reaction with Water, the steps which comprise carrying out said reactions in normal octane.

5. In the process of preparing elastomers by reacting a polytetramethylene ether glycol having a molecular weight of from 750 to 4000 with a molar excess of 2,4- tolylene diisocyanate to form an isocyanate-terminated intermediate polymer and converting the said polymer to an elastomeric material by reaction with Water, the

steps which comprise carrying out said reactions in normal heptane.

6. In the process of preparing elastomers by reacting a polytetramethylene ether glycol having a molecular weight of from 750 to 4000 with a molar excess of 2,4- tolylene diisocyanate and water, the step which comprises carrying out said reaction in an inert aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent in which the resulting elastomer is insoluble, said solvent having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,284,896 Hanford et al June 2, 1942 2,511,544 Rinke et al. June 13, 1950 2,531,392 Breslow Nov. 28, 1950 2,726,219 Hill Dec. 6, 1955 FOREEGN PATENTS 892,107 France Mar. 29, 1944 

1. IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING ELASTOMERS BY REACTING A POLYTETRAMETHYLENE ETHER GLYCOL HAVING A MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF FROM 750 TO 4000 WITH A MOLE EXCESS OF 2,4TOLYLENE DISSCOYANATE AND REACTING THE RESULTING ISOCYANATE-TERMINETAD PRODUCT WITH WATER, THE STEP WHICH COMPRISES CARYING OUT SAID REACTIONS IN AN INERT ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON SOLVENT IN WHICH THE RESULTING ELASTOMER IS INSOLUBLE, SAID SOLVENT FROM 6 TO 12 CARBON ATOMS. 